Radiator cover



Oct. 30 1923. 1,472,650

R. F. HOFFMAN RADIATOR COVER Fil March 24, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fjwve'n'to'v 4 z n M WW Oct. 30, 1923. 1,472,650

R. F. HOFFMAN RADIATOR COVER Filed March 24. 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 RF H ffman lwifiv. M J WWW Patented Oct. 30, 1923.

UNITED STATES REUBEN FELIX HOFFMAN, OI HAMILTON, QHIO.

RADIATOR COVER.

Application filed larch 24, 1918. Serial 1T0. 284,729.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN Fnmx Horr- MAN a citizen of the United States, residing at I-lamilton, in the county of-Butler and l State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Radiator Covers, of which the following is a specification. My invention pertains to motor vehicle and aeroplane radiator covers, and the ch- 10 jects of my improvement are to efi'ectively rovide means for regulating and maintainmg the temperature of the radiator and the balance of a motor cooling system, at or near a predetermined point, which is best 16 suited to operate an internal combustion engine efiiciently. and prevent same from cooling rapidly when not in use.

Also to provide a radiator roll curtain that is simple and may be operated freely 2 when subjected to various air pressures.

This invention with its objects so far explained is of novel construction, which is composed of a combination of parts arranged as described and illustrated in the 8 accompanying specifications and drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a water cooling radiator, illustratin the-improved radiator cover and curtain in place.

Figure 2 is a front elevation view of a radiator with cover and curtain in place.

Figure 3 is a rea perspective view of the cover and curtain.

Figure 4 is a sectional perspective view of 85 the rolled curtain.

Figure'5 is a. perspective view of the curtain unrolled.

Figure 6 represents a plan view of a motor hood and radiator with cover in place, and showing operating arrangement for roll curtain.

Figure 7 is a sectional plan view of man.

tor cover on the line bb, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a plan of radiator cover only, showing circular opening 31 which fits around radiator filler tube.

Figure 9 is a transverse vertical section of radiator on line w-a, Figure 2.

W Figure 10 is a front elevation view, illus- 'trating details of curtain operation means and reinforcements.

F g re 11 is a s e ele a n View o p l cord locking means which is located near operators seat.

In referrin to the different parts hereby shown, 14 in icatesa radiator-over which the cover 17 and 17 is securely attached b means of cables or cords 9, 9 and 7, 7 whic are maintained under a constant stress by the coil spring 8. Cables 9, 9 are attached with one end to one end of coil spring 8,

and with the other end to wire reinforce-- ment 10 by means of clasps 20, 20. Cables 7, 7 also are attached with one end to one end of coil spring 8 and extend therefrom and unde radiator 14 with their other ends attached to bar 13 by means of clasps 6, 6. The combination of parts 8, 7, 7, and 9, 9, serve as means for maintaining a constant tension on cover 17 and thereby securely holding same in close contact with radiator.

Radiator cover 17 and 17 is constructed of a flexible, fibrous material of sufiicient thickness to effectively retard the radiation of heat therethrough. Cover 17 and 17 is reinforced, atits rear edge, by. wire 10 which extends along its entire edge and is securely attached thereto, and along the en tire edge of front opening by bar 13, tubular housing 11, 11 and. bar 41.

1 indicates a roll curtain which is made of a flexible, fibrous material similar to cover 17 and 17 and of about the same thickness, and is secured to 17 a by means of clasps 23 and is so arranged to cover the entire front opening in cover 17 when inan unrolled position. Roll curtain 1 is also constructed with two coil springs 15, 15 (see Figures 4 and 5) which extend along its entire outer edges and are securely attached thereto. Springs 15, 15 are so constructed that when they are in a released or normal state they will forcibly roll curtaln 1 m a small compact roll (see Figure 4).

Operating cords 2, 2 are attached adjaoent the ends of rod 18, and are rolled up with curtain 1 taking their posltlon between the layers of same from where they extend upward and over pulleys 19, 19, then down ward through tubular housings 11, 11.

'assin over ulleys 3, 3 and rearward hroug li housing; 28 to operating handle 27. Operating cords 2, 2 cooperatlng with pulleys 19, 19, tubular houslng 11, 11, pulley 3, 3, housings. tabular b q mgs 2 28 n or operating curtain 1 from the drivers seat. By pulling.

upward, on handle 27 to a position at 27 the cord is released and the curtain'can be raised or lowered, exposing any amount of cooling surface as desired, and the reaction 7 of the coil springs 15,15 exerts a constant tension on cords 2, 2 which tends to hold the curtain firm in and close contact withthe radiator.

Pulleys 3, 3 are rotatively mounted in housings 4, 4 for the purpose of preventing wear and friction on cords 2, 2.

Housing {provides means for supporting pulley 3 and is attached to radiator support 2 36 or other suitable place below the radiator,

and is connected with tubular housing 28 at its lower extension by means of threads,

and with the upper extension slidably connected to housmgs 11, Openings closed by screw plugs 5 provlde means for replacing cords 2, 2 when necessary. Tubular housings 11 extend upward from housin are spit, flattened and attached to bar 41 by means of rivets 22 or other suitable method, and serve as means for guidi cords 2, 2, reinforcing cover 17 and provi in%a surface for curtain 1 to roll upon.

ar 41 extends across the upper edge of shape. 7

Tubular housings 28, 28 are attached with one end to housing 4, 4 and extends rearwardly through instrument board 29 or 7 other suitable part of machine within the operators reach where they are held in place byaw 30 and bracket 24, providing a guide I protection for cords 2, 2.

Stationary jaw 30 works in cooperation with moveable jaw 25 which is rotatively mounted on bracket 24 and has an extending arm 25 which is provided with an eye or loop hole at its end through which cords 2, 2 pass The combination of parts 30, 24, 25 and 25 have for their object, means for releasing and locking cords 2, 2 at various points in relation to the movement of curtain 1 over front of radiator cover opening.

Pulley 26 is rotatively attached to handle 27 which provides means for attaching cords 2, 2 to handle 27 and serves as an equalizer by exerting an equal amount of tension on each of the cords 2, 2.

Bar 13 extends along the lower edge of front opening in cover 17 and is securely m attached thereto, with each end attached .to t b ar h using 11, 11,- providing means I cables, 7, 7 at clasps 6, 6.

4, 4 to metal bar 41 where they for attaching: curtain11 at clasps 23 and The combination of metal parts 13, 11, 11 and 41 serveas a means to reinforce and support cover "17 and '17 in proper shape and in contact with radiator 14.

Wire reinforcement 10 extends along the entire front-edge of cover 17 and has for its purpose, means for attaching cablesi9,f9 by means of clasps 20, 20 and tends to reinforce and hold cover 17 in proper shape and in close contact with radiator 14.

1 Cover 17 is also provided with a flap 40 which protects operating parts from the weather and-from being conspicuous;

Wire cables 32, 32 are attached with one end to metal bar 41 and pass upward under cover 17 v with their other ends attached to metal plate 33 which in turn is attached to wire 10. The combination of parts 32, 32 and 33 serve as means to support cover 17 in place on radiator 14. y

In operation, handle 27 is pulled upward to position at 27, which unlocks cords 2, 2, curtain liis' then moved upward or down: ward in a vertical line, exposing or covering a variable amount of radiator coolin surfacelfas thegcase may require to maintain the p per working temperature of cooling system and motor. 9

. Thecurtain may be held stationary at any opening at front of cover 17'.

During travel at high speed or against violent winds curtain 1 may be operated or adjusted without any noticeable resistance, as no art of curtain 1 slides over the surface 0 radiator 14. i

This cover and curtain is easily attached or removed from the radiator and is in no 2 directl attached to same.

aving t us described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a shield having a front opening, a frame secured to the edges of said shield surrounding said opening, flexible means for detachably securing said shield and frame upon a radiator, a self windin curtain having one end secured to sai frame, means inherent in said curtain for maintaining the same normally wound, a cable having its ends secured to the opposite end of said curtain and normally wound therewith, and means upon said frame for guiding said cable; with means operated from the dashboard of a vehicle for creating a tension upon said cable to unwind said curtain and said cable. for closing said openg. 2. In a device of the character specified, the combinatioawi h a h e d h v g a ront III Opening, a frame secured to the edges of said shield surrounding said opening, means for detachably securing said shield and its frame upon a radiator, of a curtain having one end secured to said frame, a bar secured to the opposite end of said curtain, winding members in said curtain disposed in its longitudinal direction to maintain the curtain normally wound, a cable having its extremities secured to said curtain bar and normally wound with said curtain and having its remainin portion extending to the dashboard of a ve icle, means upon said shield frame cooperating with means upon the vehicle frame and dashboard for guiding said cable, and coordinating and simultaneously operable equalizing and retention devices upon the dashboard for controlling said cable and curtain, whereby to effect varying degrees of covering and uncovering of said shield opening by said curtain.

3. n a cover for radiators, the combination of a shield for embracing a radiator and formed with a filler plug opening and a front opening, a reinforcing frame secured in the rear edges of said shield, a

' frame secured in the edges surrounding the front opening in said shield and rovided with a curtain, a reinforcing plate secured to the top of said rear frame at the rear of the plug opening, reinforcing members at each side of the plug opening and .extend- ,ing from said plate to the top of said front frame, and cords attached to the sides of said rear frame, cords also attached to the lower bar ofsaid front frame and extendin rearwardly beneath the radiator; with a coil spring at the rear of the radiator having t e adjacent ends of the'pairs of cords attached to the respective ends thereof, whereby to flexibly and removably attach said shield to said radiator.

4:. In a cover for radiators, the combination of a shield for embracing a radiator and formed with a filler plug opening and a front opening, a rear frame for said shield, a front frame for said shield surrounding the front opening therein, a frame connecting; the upper portions of said rear and said front frames and reinforcing said plug opening, means for flexibly and removably attaching said shield and its frames to the radiator, and a self-winding curtain and actuating members operatively mounted upon said front frame, a portion of said actuating members being wound within said 7 curtain; with means for exerting a tension on said actuating members for causing said curtain to unwind for closing the front opening in said shield.

5. In a curtain for radiators, the combination of a flexible curtain body adapted to have one end secured to a support, spring coiling means in said curtain body to wind the same along its transverse direction, tension members secured to the free end of said curtain body and wound therewith between its convolutions, means for tensioning said tension members to distend said curtain body; and means to release the tension to cause said curtain body to automatically rewind with said tension members therewithin. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

REUBEN FELIX HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

ALLEN ANDREWS, Jr., J N0. D. Annnnws. 

